In the Scales of Honor
Eighth Day of the Tenth Month 293 AC
Talk of ancient gods and the powers that they may bequeath is unlikely to receive a warm welcome today given how how troubled the Lord of Storm's End is, and no amount of gifts can change that, and so you take instead a far more natural track of conversation. "Which Houses are likely to follow you in raising your banners, and which would hold with your elder brother?" That you do not call him 'Usurper' is out of respect for Stannis' feelings on the matter, though you suspect he would agree with the term.
"Less than might be hoped, even when counting those more inclined to bow to dragons over stags." The words sound as though they lay strangely upon his tongue, but he presses on regardless. "Many of the lords who were close with Renly turned cold and suspicious as the false lord made it clear that he would leave Storm's End. Without the truth being told all they had to show for it was some nonsense about me poisoning 'Renly' against them. If only they knew how much their friendship was worth... but then I suppose they could not tell the difference between one smile at feast time and another."
You wince inwardly at the realization of how much the 'brothers' Baratheon had hurt each other over the months of living side by side under the under the weight of secrecy. Dany looks like she might say something, whether chastisement, comfort, or both together you do not know for she closes her mouth with a shake of her head.
Thus Stannis continues with his account: "Chief among these are Lord Bryce Caron of Nightssong and Lord Guyard Morrigen, though doubtlessly there are scores of lesser knights who think the same."
"It is all too easy to count wicked the lord who does not pour silver into one's pocket and wine in one's belly," Maester Cressen agrees sadly. A moment later he adds: "Though if you will forgive an old man's nagging, my lord, perhaps now is the time to clear the air with Lord Casper Wylde. He is less troubled by the dearth of feasts and more suspicious of any hint of magic after his daughter's death." Turning to you he explains. "She was killed by a witch's curse, a hard death from what I heard, and the woman's death did little to sooth his sorrow."
"And what then should I tell him?" Stannis grinds out, clearly an old argument brought to light. "That there was no sorcery involved in my taking up lordship of Storm's End when the one who abdicated in my favor was not even Renly but merely the being he sold his face and birthright to? How much 'proof' do you imagine I could show Lord Wylde before the truth begins to show through?"
The old maester shakes his head, not convinced, but unwilling to take the conversation any further.
"Which lords do you most trust then, my lord?" your mother asks, breaking the awkward silence that follows.
"Gulian Swann, Lord of Stonehelm," comes the swift reply. "After it was proven that Devils tried to blacken my name, he rode in person to Storm's End to express his regrets." From the tone it is clear Stannis does not bear a grudge there. "Then I would name Lord Hugh Grandison of Grandview and Lord Alesander Staedmon of Broad Arch. Both are men who appreciate a steady hand in judgement at least, though given how eager Staedmon was to get any mages he found off his land he might still make trouble at the prospect of new laws regarding sorcery."
"Ralph Buckler, Lord of Bronzegate, is likely to go the way of Walder Frey should he see a dragon or two above his battlements," Cressen continues. "He is a cautious man."
"Craven you mean?" the Lord of Storm's End asks with disgust above what he would reserve for his enemies you suspect. In that much at least he is like his elder brother, not that you intend to point it out.
Cressen clears his throat. "Of the remaining former loyalists the most notable are House Cafferen which I am sorry to say holds little love for your House, Your Grace, after the fate of their former lords..."
Having his head packed in salt and sent to your father by Randyll Tarly, he refrains from expanding upon it, likely due to your mother's presence. "Lord Fell will likely refuse to..."
"I've already secured his allegiance," you interject. In truth Ser Richard had secured his uncle's pledge, not that he had set out to do that from the start.
Though Stannis' jaw twitches in annoyance he does not speak up. What is he to say after all? He had made the same choice as Lord Fell in the end. "I assume the same is true of House Connington, then?"
In response you simply nod, the Tourney had given you the chance to gain Red Ronnet's pledge.
All told that leaves House Trant, House Dondarrion, House Peasebury, House Penrose, and House Whitehead likely to declare for the Usurper out of lingering loyalty to him with House Estermont uncertain as to how the bonds of blood and loyalty should fall, for while Ser Davos had been instrumental in ending a diabolic cult in Greenstone this one had not threatened the lord's family directly. Lastly there is Lady Shyra Errol of whom little is known for she is just come into her inheritance, though given that she is much courted one can anticipate that her choice of husband will be telling as to her intentions.
"Who would Lord Selwyn Tarth call his banners for?" Dany asks, you suspect remembering another heiress not yet come into her own.
What had the Chosen of the Warrior been doing all this time? Would the girl even be interested in her inheritance?
"He has shown himself to be a pious man, though not overly harsh on mages in his lands, and one of the least troubled by the change in lordship," Maester Cressen explains. "Whether that will hold true under present circumstances is... more than I can say."
"What of others who might already have raised the dragon banner, hedge knight and smallfolk?" you ask as delicately as you can, knowing that Stannis is all too likely to call such men bandits no matter which side he finds himself on.
"There are some reports of that sort from around Griffin's Roost and Weeping Town both." For a long moment Stannis stares through you as he too struggles to choose his words. "They do little good to anyone and much harm by preying upon the smallfolk and claiming they do it in your name. It would be best if they were stopped."
What do you do next?
[] Write in
OOC: This was a lot of rolling and I just did not feel up to doing even more of it for supernatural happenings tonight. Also sorry if this feels too much like one big list, but there is just so many houses that I could not give as much attention as I would have liked to each one.
